Nigerians Report Online

Friday, February 10, 2012

New Mobile App Providing Free Calling and Texting to Other App Users Around the World

Vonage Launches New Mobile App Providing Free Calling and Texting to Other App Users around the World

Savings of more than 70 percent on international calls to those without the app

HOLMDEL, N.J., February 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Vonage Holdings Corp. (NYSE: VG) announced the launch of Vonage Mobile®, the new iPhone® and Android™ app that lets users make free high-definition calls and send free texts to all users of the app, worldwide1. The app works over Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G wireless data networks.

When calling those who have not yet downloaded the app, Vonage Mobile provides ultra low-cost international calling with per-minute rates that are on average 70 percent less than major mobile carriers and 30 percent less than Skype™2. Users can instantly add calling credit directly from the app through iTunes® or Android Market™ in increments of $4.99 and $9.99.

Vonage Mobile uses the phone’s existing mobile number and contact list, eliminating the need for unique user names and duplicate identities for contacts. Users can instantly build a free global calling and texting network using the app’s multi-invite system from their existing contacts.

“Vonage Mobile consolidates the best features of our prior applications, while adding important functionality, better value and improved ease of use,” said Marc Lefar, CEO of Vonage. “It combines the best of free high-def voice and messaging along with incredible value for traditional international calls, all while using the existing mobile number and address book for unsurpassed ease of use.”

In addition, calls to any phone in the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico from anywhere in the world will be free for a limited time3.

Users do NOT need to be a Vonage customer to use the app. However, as an added benefit to all app users, calls to Vonage home or business lines are also free. The Vonage Mobile app can be downloaded to any iPhone or Android device for free; and it also works on the iPad®, iPod Touch® and Android™ Tablets.

For more information on Vonage Mobile, please go to iTunes, Android Market or www.vonagemobile.com.

# # #

1 Data rates may apply.

2 Based on per-minute rates to the top 50 countries called. Comparison reflects published rates of leading mobile carriers in markets representing the majority of iPhone and Android users.

3 Limited time free calling offer to the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico is for personal, non-commercial calling and excludes calls to certain geographic locations, premium and special services numbers, satellite telephony services and other call forwarding services. Not to exceed 3000 minutes per month.

iPhone and iTunes are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Android is a trademark of Google Inc. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance.

# # #

About Vonage
Vonage (NYSE: VG) is a leading provider of communications services connecting individuals through mobile and broadband devices worldwide. Our technology serves approximately 2.4 million subscribers. We provide feature-rich, affordable communication solutions that offer flexibility, portability and ease-of-use. Our Vonage World plan offers unlimited calling to more than 60 countries with popular features like call waiting, call forwarding and visual voicemail — for one low monthly rate. Vonage’s service is sold on the web and through regional and national retailers including Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Kmart and Sears, and is available to customers in the U.S. (www.vonage.com), Canada (www.vonage.ca) and the United Kingdom (www.vonage.co.uk).

Vonage Holdings Corp. is headquartered in Holmdel, New Jersey. Vonage® is a registered trademark of Vonage Marketing LLC., owned by Vonage America Inc.

To follow Vonage on Twitter, please visit www.twitter.com/vonage. To become a fan on Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/vonage. To subscribe on YouTube, visit www.youtube.com/vonage.
Related Links

iTunes
Android Market
www.vonagemobile.com
www.vonage.com
www.twitter.com/vonage
www.facebook.com/vonage
www.youtube.com/vonage

Related Documents

Vonage Mobile Fact Sheet
Vonage Mobile Survey Infographic
Vonage Intra Country Calling Infographic
Follow us on Twitter

Vonage's avatar12 hours ago: @xeis Thanks for the great feedback! We're glad you received the help you needed.
Vonage's avatar12 hours ago: Find out a little more about what makes Vonage Mobile so “magical!" http://t.co/6rKrpuzJ
Vonage's avatar18 hours ago: Glad u like it RT @KAYAK biz trip in Madrid? new @Vonage app makes it easy 2 call/text colleagues 4 free,we like that http://t.co/E9xfnIoK

Media Contacts:

Jennifer Holzapfel
732-444-2585
Jennifer.Holzapfel@vonage.com

Kari Brownsberger
312-329-3980
Kari@FinnPartners.com

Tonye Princewill's Philanthropy Extends To Port Harcourt Polo Club, Others

Prince Tonye Princewill has donated N25 million to sponsor the construction of a world class Pavilion for the Port Harcourt Polo Club in honour of his father, HM King Prof T.J.T Princewill, the Amanyanabo of the Kalabari Kingdom and the Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers.

Tonye Princewill's Philanthropy Extends To Port Harcourt Polo Club, Others

In Prince Tonye Princewill’s bid to make honest inputs on issues of national significance, and to help Governor Amaechi to make his own contribution on the future of Rivers State has resolved to spend more time in the state. It was as a result of this resolution that he graced the closing ceremony of the Annual Niger Delta Polo Festival held at the Port Harcourt Polo Club recently in Rivers State alongside other dignitaries that included members of the Rivers State Executive Council, the Rivers State Police Commissioner, the Administrator of the Greater Port Harcourt Authority, heads of various security outfits, members of the Port Harcourt Polo Club amongst others where he made a donation of N25M to the club for the construction of a befitting world class Pavilion in honour of his father, HM King Prof T.J.T Princewill, the Amanyanabo of the Kalabari Kingdom and the Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers.

The present Port Harcourt Polo Club House

According to online press statement made available by Chief Chukwuemeka Eze, the spokesman of Princewill’s Political Associates said: “As the biggest polo festival in the oil rich Niger Delta and the whole of the South-South, South-East Geo-political regions, the prestigious event was held with never before seen fanfare with several major trophies competed for and won”.

Princewill stated that he is pleased to be identified with the success that is called the Port Harcourt Polo Club which has been a centre of recreation, relaxation and peace even when it was not safe to go out in Port Harcourt.

He reminded people that they should never forget how bad it was before, the role of Governor Chibuike Amaechi in restoring it and urged them not to take peace for granted.

“I hope to work with the present Executive of the Club into turning the Club into a world class Club every Rivers son and daughter will be happy to be associated with,” he explained.

He also urged the people of Rivers State to continue to support and pray for the Rivers State Government under the watch of his friend. “With the feats so far recorded by the Governor, I still maintain that I have no regrets withdrawing my case against him in 2007 to ensure that a conducive atmosphere was provided for my friend to perform. Before the end of his administration, I expect all doubters to be proved wrong and converts made out of the :Doubting Thomases.”

Mr. Bobmanuel the President of the Club who received the cheque on behalf of the club Management from the Prince assured the Prince that his investment on the club will be properly harnessed for the glory of us all. He enjoined others that are blessed to emulate the Prince and invest on projects that unite the entire Rivers State people and the future of our youths in order for us to create the Rivers State of our dream. “With this donation by the Prince, the Polo Club and the game of Polo will surely take a new level in the State.” He commended the Prince and urged him not to relent in all the good initiatives he is doing in the country.

Other parts of the press release read thus: “To the world of entertainment now and the five Rivers State Youths that the Prince sponsored to the 2011 Del-York Film Academy are back. Mr Valentine Ohu in Broadcast Journalism, Miss Crystabel Goddy in Acting, Mr Telema Senibo in 3D Graphics, Miss Mercy Akudo also in Acting and Mr Stanley Kotey in 3D Graphics are now brand owners of a multimillion Naira standard Studio that will enable them put into practice all that they were taught during the training by the Del-York Film Academy. The training of these Youths was at huge personal cost to the Prince. He also donated a personal cash award to the most outstanding student. The successful student is now a broadcaster at Channels Television in Lagos. According to the Prince, it is one thing offering scholarships to people and another thing providing them what to do after acquiring the training; that is why I have to go a step further by providing a Studio to make these youth’s employers of Labour and not liabilities to the society. “I wish the Nigerian government, major multinationals, other businesses and blessed individuals will take a cue from this by providing jobs for most of the students enjoying support to acquire knowledge which cannot be channeled. This country needs jobs. We have to remember the youths because the young shall grow.”

“Sticking to the world of entertainment and the Prince went another step to institute a fund that would be responsible for fishing out hidden talents and giving them a direct path to greatness. Consultations are still on-going with the technical partners as to the scope the beneficiaries will cover but it is expected to include music, comedy and contemporary dance in the first phase. The initial personal contribution to the fund will be N20 million with the figure expected to rise to match partner funding. “We are blessed to bless others,” the Prince said and I intend to pass the blessings around to encourage those who really want to make a difference. I of course can only do so much but I am determined to do my bit and leave others to do theirs.”

The Prince has been out of public glare since the conclusion of the recent elections that ushered in the new administration citing personal reasons and the need to reflect as his reasons for doing so. With his intention do even more, it is clear that many sons and daughters of Rivers state and its non-indigene population will be beneficiaries of the Princes Trust especially now that he has introduced free access with Tuesdays and Thursdays now his official visiting times. No appointment required”.

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Owelle Rochas and Hon. Emeka Nwaorfo: Our Votes for You Was Not In Vain

Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha, Executive Governor, Imo State, Nigeria.

Owelle Rochas and Hon. Emeka Nwaorfo: Our Votes for You Was Not In Vain

~ By Nwaorgu Faustinus

The joy of democracy for me is when politicians who are voted into elective offices ensure that those that elected them reap the benefit for electing them into office. Such benefit is not individually centered but people-oriented which is aimed at reducing the suffering of people, be it in skill acquisition, job creation, protection of life and property, road construction, which falls under infrastructural development among others. The crux of this piece is on the last but one – road construction.

The purpose of this piece is to inform not only Eziama and Ntu communities but also the entire Ngor/Okpala people living at home, and especially those living outside the shores of Nigeria that Owelle Ndi Imo is putting his money where his mouth is. This is sequel to his observation and promise to make sure that if voted into office, his administration will look into the poor nature of roads in the council area. My article captioned “Ngor/Okpala: A council area in need of development” published in some online media sites and in few print media outfits wherein I stated: ‘I remembered vividly the comment made by the current governor of Imo state, Owelle Rochas Okoroha about the poor nature of Ngor/Okpala LGA roads when he was campaigning prior to the April 2011 gubernatorial election. The manner he spoke on the nature of roads in the area left no one in doubt that he will swing into action with a view to renovating and building new key roads which I had identified in my article titled “Barr. Enyinna Onuegbu and the challenge of Ngor/Okpala Council Area”. As at the time I wrote the former article, there was no concrete evidence to show that one or two roads are getting facelift from the governor.

Nkwoala Ntu, Elelem road under construction.

This made me to aver thus in that piece: “Those who use the votes of Ngor/Okpala electorates to ascend to elective pinnacle should not ignore the council area by bequeathing on it lasting and commendable development projects not just to be remembered but also to be reelected in subsequent elections based on what they were able to achieve developmentally during their first tenure or risk the melancholic fate that befell the Ex-Governor, Ikedi Ohakim who campaigned vigorously in Ngor/Okpala to seek for votes and spent so much money but was shown the way out just for a change. The people from the council area are wiser ever than before as shown by what they did to Owelle Rochas’ predecessor during the supplementary elections and would not accept anything short of enduring developmental projects. The time to act is now”.

It is therefore noteworthy that he has started delivering on his campaign promise in the construction of roads. In my last but one piece with the title “Ngor-Okpala: Owelle Rochas on Course to Make Good his Promise”, I wrote ‘True to his promise, governor owelle rochas administration has commenced the construction of the road that runs from Umukabia to the Local Government Council located at Umuneke Ngor. While the people from the area commend him for this among other good plans he has for the council area given his philanthropic disposition and the remarkable, prominent and praiseworthy role majority of electorates from Ngor-Okpala played to put him in the Douglas House (State Government House) where he is today, he should ensure that the construction company handling the construction of the road delivers on target. It is important to observe here that it is one thing to commence the construction of road and another to complete it while adhering strictly to time, standards and specification. This observation is based on previous attempt made to construct the road by past administration but was abandoned”.

Optimistically, last week, the people of Umuodagu Ntu were beside themselves with joy when the current administration moved in its construction machine to the community, and without much ado, kick started the construction of the popular “Theo Road” named after late Theodor Amadi who created the initial footpath of the road from Umucham Ntu, a village in Ntu community to Elelem, a nearby community. The people of Umuodagu Ntu, which is made up of six villages could not hide their happiness as cheerful expression enveloped their countenance for what the state government through the influence of Hon. Emeka Nwaorfo has started to do for them. “Ama Theo” as the road is fondly called has never been remembered by past administration, it was therefore a moment of great joy for the inhabitants of the community to witness the maiden construction of the road.

Now that the road construction is at its early stage, it would be prudent to remind the state government as I did in my recent article to ensure prompt monitoring of the road construction so as to make sure that the contractor or construction company handling the project adhere strictly to standards and specification which informed the award of the contract, for anything contrary to this may not go down well with the people of the community. In addition, Owelle Rochas and Hon. Emeka Nwaorfo should as a matter of necessity extend road construction to other communities that make up the LGA in order to give them a sense of belonging, because it is not only people from Ntu community and others living along the road that leads to the local government headquarters that voted for you during the supplementary election last year. This among other developmental needs should be the duty of a responsible administration that has the interest of the people at heart. God bless Ngor/Okpala

Nwaorgu Faustinus writes from Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Mobile: +2348035601312. Email ngorokpalaresearcher@gmail.com or ngorokpalaresearcher@yahoomail.com.

Nigeria: Religious Irrationality and the New Inspector-General of Police

Muhammed Dahiru Abubakar, the current Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) of Nigeria.

Nigeria: Religious Irrationality and the New Inspector-General of Police

~ By John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D.

Mr. President, the Us vs. Them Religious Irrationality should not stop the Confirmation of the Inspector-General of Police.

This is a time when President Goodluck Jonathan is facing increased pressure from those at home and abroad to find immediate solutions to the rising religious violence which is dividing Nigeria apart.

Yet, some chapters of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) the main umbrella group that contains numerous Christian denominations in Nigeria will come out, publicly and in a petition form, objecting to the appointment of a veteran police officer who happens to have been born into to earth as a Northerner and as a Muslim.
His name is Muhammed Dahiru Abubakar, the current Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) of the nation.

One does not need to be a psychological expert or examiner to classify this type of institutional objection, talk or writing as clear signs of religious activism, or religious extremism.

This is a time when many good faith Nigerians including many Northern Muslims and Christians Southerners are heartbroken over the continued persecution and killings emerging from the hands of the violent Islamic sect—the Boko Haram.
For persons who call themselves Christians to attack a Christian President for appointing a Muslim individual as an acting Inspector-General of Police is absurd, and it is a sign of adding more to the formation of religious suicide and internal terrorism.

How can Christians with many of them still living in the North and elsewhere, justify their ill-advised comments in the face of continued religious violence, terrorist war, and religious intolerance against their own selves, and people by persons who will engage in suicide attacks just to kill persons like those from the Christian Association of Nigeria? How?

One would have expected that words and comments of peace building will be flowing from the heads and mouths of men and women, who depict themselves as forces for peace and instruments of harmony within our society.

Just like the Boko Haram faithful whom some Christians abhor, singling out a fellow human being; a man of peace work as well as a family man, and tagging him with insults, viewing him as an extension of terrorism, and indicting him by calling for his fall and removal from an upward position is self-defeating, at least religiously.
In a more godly and psychological way, what if in recent times Abubakar turns out to the type of police leader that successfully combat police corruption, enhanced officers’ responsibility to act with truth, openness and fairness, set the stage for cleanliness and tidiness in officers, see that workplace ethos improves, allow honest conduct to flourish, make disciplinary decisions openly without fear or favor, believes in time promptness, and usher in a disciplinary system in which conducts unbecoming of a police officer are banned.

Let’s continue; what if he ends up working positively in partnership with Human Rights organizations and other stakeholders, maintains operational readiness and inspection in all officers’ work, create professional standards and discipline, reinforce psychological fitness-for-duty in officers, maintain adequate supervision and discipline, reduce violence and crime, see to the social welfare of police families, and see to all of our security safety, maintain grievance procedures in police work, practice disciplinary code that punishes officers’ offences including disgraceful conduct, failure to obey orders, as well as diminish religious/tribal discriminatory. Then what would you say tell us?

Oh Christians where is the God in you? Are you not supposed to be thinking about behaviors far away from anger, vengeance, possessiveness, misery, and wickedness? Are you not supposed to represent positive beliefs and actions of plea? Are you are not supposed to teach good ideas and actions? Are you not supposed to ask God to have mercy for the past sinful behaviors of men and women? And ask those in need for change to seek God's mercy, inner peace, forgiveness and love. Are you not supposed to? Tell the whole world.

From the point of religious psychology, God calls for the need to forgive others, and to overcome one’s past, so whatever it is that the acting Inspector-General had done in the past, don’t we want to believe that humans can go above their short coming as they move forward in life?

While no one can accuse these fuming members of individual folly but the fact that some persons will represent a faith and call for more conflicts between Christians and Muslims, at least indirectly, informs any reasonable mind that there is something wrong with matters of faith, at least institutionally.

Psychologists are aware that actions like these; as the ones from the anti- Muhammed Abubakar group, show signs of institutional militancy and this is bad, especially when live in a time when we are trying to improve the religious, ethnic and security situations in the country.

So let all of us collectively pray for tolerance and harmony, in order to reduce the conflict-based relationships currently standing between the Muslims and Christians of Nigeria. And for any group whether Muslim or Christian group who wants to run up the current religious tensions, and enhance or fire up the problems of religious violence amid sectarian violence between Muslims, Christians and security forces; there could be a need for psychological cleansing and healing. Since these sorts of religious postures, experiences and utterances against a fellow human being are certainly ungodly.

As a point of psycho-religious cleansing those Christian factions that are for the removal of the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar; should for repentance sake, start lobbying the leadership of the National Assembly to confirm our fellow man and henceforth stop the condemnation of any citizen as no one of us is God, Jehovah or Allah.

John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D., is a Forensic/Clinical Psychologist and the Secretary-General of the Nigeria Psychological Association (NPA), Abuja. Jos5930458@aol.com 08126909839.

Hot News of the Day!

Onitsha Police Killing - Over 200 Northerners Flee to Asaba

AllAfrica.com

By Austin Ogwuda, 9 February 2012 Asaba - COMMOTION broke out,Thursday, as hundreds of Hausa indigenes resident in Onitsha fled to Asaba for refuge as a result of alleged attack on them by members of Movement for Actualization of Birafra (MASSOB ).

Thursday, February 9, 2012

The Enemies of Israel Are Now Destroying Themselves?

Clockwise from top left: Protesters gathering in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt; Demonstrators marching through Habib Bourguib Avenue in Tunis, Tunisia; Political dissidents in Sana'a, Yemen, demanding the resignation of the president; Protesters gathering in Pearl Roundabout in Manama, Bahrain; Hundreds of Thousands in Douma, Damascus, Syria; Demonstrators in Bayda, Libya.

Call it the Arab Spring or whatever name you like, but you cannot separate the political from the biblical if you want to fully understand what is going on in the Middle East. The enemies of Israel are now pitched against themselves as chronicled in the following chapter of 2 Chronicles 20 (New International Version).

22. As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.

23. The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

Then study the following verse from Joel 2 (New International Version).

20. “I will drive the northern horde far from you,
pushing it into a parched and barren land;
its eastern ranks will drown in the Dead Sea
and its western ranks in the Mediterranean Sea.
And its stench will go up;
its smell will rise.”

Now let us return to the recent history of The Six-Day War as documented in the Wikipedia:

(Hebrew: מלחמת ששת הימים, Milhemet Sheshet Ha Yamim; Arabic: النكسة, an-Naksah, "The Setback," or حرب 1967, Ḥarb 1967, "War of 1967"), also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt (known at the time as the United Arab Republic), Jordan, and Syria. After a period of high tension between Israel and its neighbors, the war began on June 5 with Israel launching surprise air strikes against Arab forces. The outcome was a swift and decisive Israeli victory. Israel took effective control of the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria. Opinions are divided on whether Israel's attack was an act of aggression or a preemptive strike of a defensive nature.

All these Arab nations that fought against Israel have fallen in the Arab Spring.

~ ~ By Orikinla Osinachi, author of Children of Heaven, Scarlet Tears of London, Bye, Bye Mugabe, In the House of Dogs, and other books.

Honda Delivers 2013 Fit EV to Google and Stanford University

Honda Delivers 2013 Fit EV to Google and Stanford University
Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program participants to conduct real-world testing on new Honda battery-electric vehicle

Haga clic aquí para ver este comunicado de prensa en Español.

TORRANCE, Calif. Feb. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Honda recently delivered 2013 Fit EV battery-electric vehicles to Google Inc. and Stanford University as a part of the Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program. Along with the city of Torrance, Calif., each participant is now conducting general testing as well as providing specific feedback related to the future introduction of electric vehicles. The Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program participants are the first recipients of the 2013 Fit EV in the United States.

“The goal of the Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program is to better understand the challenges and opportunities associated with the advancement in battery-electric technology,” said Steve Center, vice president of the Environmental Business Development Office at American Honda. “Honda has a long history with electric vehicles beginning with the introduction of our first battery-electric car, the EV Plus, nearly 15 years ago. Honda’s experience and the unique feedback that Google, Stanford University and the city of Torrance will provide will be valuable to the future introduction of battery-electric technology.”

Honda delivers a 2013 Fit EV to Stanford University as a part of the Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program.

Honda debuted the 2013 Fit EV at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show and announced plans to begin leasing the 123 city-mile per charge (76 mile range combined adjusted city/highway)1 battery-electric commuter vehicle to customers in select California and Oregon markets during the summer of 2012 with a rollout to east coast markets planned for Spring 2013. Equipped with a 20-kWh lithium-ion battery and 92- kW coaxial electric motor, the Fit EV battery can be fully recharged in as little as 3 hours when connected to a 240-volt circuit.

Google Inc.
The delivery of the Fit EV to Google Inc. was marked by an employee ride and drive. Nearly 100 ‘Googlers’ took the Fit EV for a spin around the Google Mountain View, Calif., campus. Google will now use the Fit EV as a part of its G-Fleet, an employee car-sharing service that features numerous plug-in vehicles. Google’s participation in the Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program will involve analysis of vehicle usage including CO2 reduction, energy consumption on a miles/kWh basis and overall energy cost.

Stanford University Automotive Research
Over the past year, Honda has collaborated Stanford University professors, researchers and students from several departments including Mechanical Engineering and Psychology through various seminars and classes. The year-long collaboration resulted in a research direction on how to study the psychological and physical reactions of using battery-electric vehicles and how these reactions differ when driving a traditional gasoline-powered vehicle.

With the Fit EV now at Stanford, the research team will use both the battery-electric vehicle and a gasoline-powered Fit to test their theories. Successful methodology implementation will yield a goal of not only decreasing anxiety associated with new technology, but also increasing joy in the driving experience. Ultimately, the research results will help Honda to better understand customer acceptance of battery-electric vehicles and how to overcome physiological obstacles associated with the adoption of new technologies.

Connect to Honda:
Honda News & Views: http://www.honda.com/news
Honda Multimedia Newsroom (for media only): http://www.hondanews.com
Fit EV for consumers: http://www.FitEV.honda.com
Honda on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/honda
Honda on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Honda
Honda on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/honda
Honda on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/hondanews
Honda website: http://www.honda.com

1 123 city/95 highway mile range (unadjusted); 76 combined mile range (adjusted). Preliminary estimates determined by Honda using EPA methods. Your range will vary. For additional information about EPA test methods, visit http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/label/learn-more-electric-label.shtml

For more information:
Alicia Jones
(310) 783-3170
Jessica Fini
(310) 783-3724

Angelina Jolie to Present at 84th Academy Awards® on Oscar® Sunday, February 26

Angelina Jolie to Present at 84th Academy Awards® on Oscar® Sunday, February 26

Beverly Hills, CA – Academy Award®-winning actress Angelina Jolie will present at the 84th Academy Awards ceremony, telecast producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer announced today.

In 1999 Jolie took home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in "Girl, Interrupted," and she received a nomination in 2008 for her lead performance in "Changeling." Jolie recently made her writing and directing debut with the film "In the Land of Blood and Honey." She will be seen next in "Maleficent." Jolie's other film credits include "Kung Fu Panda 2," "The Tourist," "Salt," "Wanted," "A Mighty Heart," "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "Taking Lives" and "The Bone Collector."

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

MEDIA CONTACT
Toni Thompson
tthompson@oscars.org

# # #

ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world's preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

FOLLOW THE ACADEMY
www.oscars.org
www.facebook.com/TheAcademy
www.youtube.com/Oscars
www.twitter.com/TheAcademy

AWARDS PUBLICTY
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(310) 247-3090 TEL | (310) 271-3395 FAX | PUBLICITY@OSCARS.ORG | WWW.OSCARS.ORG/PRESS

Approach Boko Haram As A Crisis of Compromise Using the Power of Culture

President Goodluck Jonathan looks bored and tired of the perpetual problems of Nigeria.

Approach Boko Haram as a Crisis of Compromise using the Power of Culture

~ John Egbeazien Oshodi,Ph.D

Don’t negotiate, negotiate which way to go —Mr. President?

With one side of the mouth of the Presidency we hear from the President’s Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika that the Federal Government must not engage in negotiation with the Boko Haram sect and that the use of pure militaristic approach is the ultimate way out.

On the other side of the presidential cavity is President Goodluck Jonathan telling the world that the Nigerian government would dialogue with the unyielding Islamist organization, Boko Haram, if they are open with their demands and their identifications.

With this clear lines of governmental mix-up, hundreds of lives are being lost constantly, continuously and painfully.

The current intelligence operations and noise making from some in authority, and the mostly reactive stance on the terror problem, do not seem to have had a marked dent on the rising level of violence from these extremists.

There is certainly a cultural dimension to terrorism, and terrorism in America, and in the Arab world have successfully used their peculiar cultural tools to ward off dangerous behaviors and acts from dreadful groups like the Boko Haram.

Given that terrorism is the organized use of terror, especially as a means of oppression, our counter-terrorism approach must adopt wider acknowledge of societal happenings and become equipped with commercial, egalitarian, scientific, social, and cultural elements that run deep in our multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic and poly-religious society.

The country is almost and slowly being torn into pieces, just as represented in the multiple pieces that make us operate and function as a multi-cultural society.

We do not fundamentally know, speak or fully understand each other’s history or culture, which makes it more unusual to movingly copy and utilize an alien culture like that of Euro-America; using it as a model for offensive or defensive tactics to the Boko Haram fanatics.

The White man’s approach is always and very direct—employ the power of shock and awe, that is rapidly dominate the terrorists in a spectacular manner and use every force to paralyze them.

Even if we were to bring in the most ruthless form of military technology to attack the terrorist in Northern Nigeria mostly, the agents and participants of Boko Haram will face us readily as this is part of their vision and , yearnings. And certainly, this will be the speediest way to provoke disunity and other related divisions in the nation.

Even the major international and global powers like the United States of America, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany will most likely support such a divide and separation.

The Presidency and the entire national security management should know that Nigeria’s form of terrorism experience is categorically a religious terrorism.

Usually the aim of religious terrorists is to achieve various forms and levels of political, economic, educational and sacred conclusions.

The Boko Haram on behalf of many unknown and known committed stakeholders may actually be fighting for national independence. Those who are participating in these terrorist acts in Nigeria, in a much more leadership, silent and faceless manner are fantasying to regain or develop a type of Northern –based financial resources, human capital, wide political influence and widespread military power.

Directly and indirectly there are forms of spiritual, conscious, unconscious, and psychic as well as financial efforts and investment aimed at obliterating those perceived as ‘Not Part of Us’.

The longer the Boko Haram combativeness and disturbances go on the worse it will be for the nation in terms of peace and security.

So far, these terroristic acts and behaviors are continuously threatening the entire psychological and social make up of our communities.

For now, it appears that only a small minority of Muslims around the nation is openly supporting or is actively involved in terrorist attacks. As such there is hope in finding a way to control our form of terrorism.

Psychologically and from an African perspectives, it appears clear that culture which is a way of living, is the main counter measure that could specifically tap into the general and dutiful convictions of the terrorists.

The government should not attempt to even use religion as a way to change the terrorists ways as religion is very rigid in humans.

As such, all efforts should focus on refocusing these terrorists from the point of language (verbal and non-verbal), behaviors, habits, and conducts. We have to in a de-legitimized manner recondition the terrorists and their cultural environments in regards to such beliefs as being ready for martyrdom or profound suffering, being committed to the feeling that suicide is acceptable, and that they need an authorization from another human to in order to live or die.

From our point of cultural correction, they need to understand that they do not have to perish to defend the lands and the religion of the North, as there are other ways to do this; other than the use of kidnapping, burning, or killings.

We must use all available mediums (e.g. the substantial use of newspapers, electronic media, street graffiti, wallpapers, and other similar methods to de-culture influences and acts of terrorism within our northern areas and across the nation. A very important cultural element that is essential in an tense environment is a woman who usually plays an indispensable role that help prevent escalating situations. A woman, by psychological definition, presents as one who generally has a calming effect in hurt environ and in front of a potentially angry or violent man. However, since the status of woman in Islam constitutes images of lowliness or “less than’ to men their use should be done with caution.

The Boko Haram elements are quite aware that religion in a much more natural way helps them take cover as they justify their conducts morally, but the nation as a whole could use culture as an collective instrument to generate a set of new beliefs that will make terrorism strange and unwelcome to potential recruits, activist youths and vulnerable adults, This we will do in combination with the smart use of our armed forces and other security actions.

John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D., is a Forensic/Clinical Psychologist and the Secretary-General of the Nigeria Psychological Association (NPA), Abuja. Jos5930458@aol.com 08126909839.

Nigeria's Military Obstructs Journalists Covering Unrest

Nigerian soldiers on duty

9 Feb 2012 06:14 Africa/Lagos

Nigeria's military obstructs journalists covering unrest

NEW YORK, February 9, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Nigeria's military has harassed and obstructed journalists trying to report on unrest in recent days, according to local journalists and news reports.

On Sunday in the city of Jos, in Nigeria's north central region, soldiers detained Jeremie Drieu, a videographer with French television station TF1, and local journalist Ahmad Salkida after they sought permission to film in the area, The Associated Press reported. The Nigerian federal government has been enforcing a state of emergency in Jos following bloody clashes between Muslims and Christians that have claimed the lives of at least two journalists, according to CPJ research.

Soldiers searched and interrogated the journalists and escorted them to their hotel, where they were forced to pack and leave Jos and Plateau state as night fell, the journalists told AP. "The official reason was security, which was absurd, because it is not safe to take the road at night," Drieu told the AP.

In a separate incident on Tuesday, soldiers in the northern city of Kaduna seized the video cameras of Umar Uthman of the private station African Independent Television and another cameraman with the government-run Kaduna State Television, local media reported. Both journalists were covering the scene of a suicide bomb blast which had earlier rocked the city.

Isa Sa'idu, reporter for Daily Trust, told CPJ the soldiers ordered over 20 journalists to leave the area, preventing them from reporting the day's events. "They drove all of us and asked us to move away from the vicinity and one of them threatened to shoot," Sa'idu said.

"The Nigerian military has acted arbitrarily in blocking these journalists," said CPJ Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita. "We call on the military command to take decisive action to halt obstruction of the news media."

In a phone interview with CPJ today, Ministry of Defense spokesman Col. Mohammed Yerima denied that the military is thwarting journalists from doing their job. "Is it not when a place is secured that you will allow them to go in and do their stories? I am sure it must have been when the tension was very high. But it would not have been deliberate to harm them or deprive them," Yerima said.

Source: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

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